TODAY IN BASEBALL: August 22

august 22

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TODAY IN BASEBALL courtesy of National Pastime

1886 – Louisville’s Chicken Wolf hits a game-winning home run thanks to a stray dog tearing at Reds’ Abner Powell’s pant leg, causing the center fielder to miss the ball.

1982 – The Cubs pay tribute to Ernie Banks when the team retires the outfielder’s uniform number (14) that he wore for 19 seasons. The Hall of Famer, who retired in 1971, is the first player in the 106-year history of the franchise to be honored in this manner.

1989 – On a 96 mph fastball, A’s Rickey Henderson swings and misses, making Nolan Ryan the first pitcher and only Major League pitcher to strike out 5000 batters. The ‘Ryan Express’ strikes out 13 and gives up only five hits, but loses the game to Oakland, 2-0.

And finally…in 2008, joining Lou Gehrig (2,721) and Babe Ruth (2,518), Derek Jeter becomes the third player to collect 2,500 hits in a Yankee uniform. The milestone safety is a first-inning bloop single off Radhames Liz in New York’s 9-4 comeback victory over the Orioles in Baltimore.

PLAYERS BORN TODAY

Ned Hanlon (1857), Carl Yastrzemski (1939), Paul Molitor (1956) and Jeff Weaver (1976)

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